---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Space travel is utter bilge. I don't…"
description: "\"Space travel is utter bilge. I don't think anybody will ever put up enough money to do such a thing. . . . It is all rather rot.\" — Richard van der Rie..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/richard-van-der-riet-woolley-1_enough_space-travel-is-utter-bilge-i-don-t-thin_1442522.jpg"
---

#  Space travel is utter bilge. I don't think anybody will…

![“Space travel is utter bilge. I don't think anybody will ever put up enough money to do such a thing. . . . It is all rather rot.” quote by Richard van der Riet Woolley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/richard-van-der-riet-woolley-1_enough_space-travel-is-utter-bilge-i-don-t-thin_1442522.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/richard-van-der-riet-woolley-1_enough_space-travel-is-utter-bilge-i-don-t-thin_1442522.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/richard-van-der-riet-woolley-1_enough_space-travel-is-utter-bilge-i-don-t-thin_1442522.jpg)

> “Space travel is utter bilge. I don't think anybody will ever put up enough money to do such a thing. . . . It is all rather rot.”

Richard van der Riet Woolley

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Space travel is dismissed as impractical and financially unviable, reflecting skepticism about its feasibility.

**In simple terms:** Space travel is seen as impractical and costly.

Key Takeaway

Question feasibility claims.

Themes

skepticism future technology finance innovation

Mood

skeptical critical

Type

analytical philosophical

When to use this quote

- budget planning
- policy debate
- science communication

Key Concepts

economic analysis technological optimism risk assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- What advances could change this view?
- How do we balance cost vs benefit?

A Different Perspective

Dismissal may ignore future breakthroughs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Predictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predictions/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-travel/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/)

## Related quotes

> [In spite of the opinions of certain narrow-minded people who would shut up the human race upon this globe, we shall one day travel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/in-spite-of-the-opinions-of-certain-narrow-minded-people-who-would-2/)

[Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/)

> [Long-term, I see robotics prevailing on the moon. . . . The most important decision we'll have to make about space travel is whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/long-term-i-see-robotics-prevailing-on-the-moon-the-most-important/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [The younger generation of rocket engineers is just beginning. They are of the new generation to which space travel is not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willy-ley/the-younger-generation-of-rocket-engineers-is-just-beginning-they-are/)

[Willy Ley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willy-ley/)

> [Life, forever dying to be born afresh, forever young and eager, will presently stand upon this Earth as upon a footstool, and stretch out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/life-forever-dying-to-be-born-afresh-forever-young-and-eager-will/)

[H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/)

> [Anybody with money can put on a KISS show, but they can't be KISS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-stanley/anybody-with-money-can-put-on-a-kiss-show-but-they-can-t-be-kiss/)

[Paul Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-stanley/)

> [I don't need anybody's money, it's nice.I'm totally self-funding my campaign, and the people like that, because you know, when they come to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-don-t-need-anybody-s-money-it-s-nice-i-m-totally-self-funding-my/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [Well, I guess in all honesty I would have to say that I never knew nor did I ever hear of anybody that money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/well-i-guess-in-all-honesty-i-would-have-to-say-that-i-never-knew-nor/)

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

> [I don't feel like taking anybody's money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-lynne/i-don-t-feel-like-taking-anybody-s-money/)

[Shelby Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-lynne/)

> [I'm not scaring anybody for no money!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/i-m-not-scaring-anybody-for-no-money/)

[Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/)

> [Looking at 2014, I look back: we made more money off 'Mailbox Money' than we would have made off taking an advance from anybody.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-hussle/looking-at-2014-i-look-back-we-made-more-money-off-mailbox-money-than/)

[Nipsey Hussle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-hussle/)

> [I didn't want to take anybody else's money. I wanted to do something small that could be profitable from the beginning, and grow that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-woodman/i-didn-t-want-to-take-anybody-else-s-money-i-wanted-to-do-something/)

[Nick Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-woodman/)

> [I'm worth far too much money. I don't need anybody's money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-worth-far-too-much-money-i-don-t-need-anybody-s-money/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [You cannot go out and say, oh, I am going to raise all this spending, but it's not going to cost anybody any money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-scott/you-cannot-go-out-and-say-oh-i-am-going-to-raise-all-this-spending/)

[Rick Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-scott/)

> [ The whole procedure \[of shooting rockets into space\] . . . presents difficulties of so fundamental a nature, that we are forced to dismiss… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-van-der-riet-woolley/the-whole-procedure-of-shooting-rockets-into-space-presents/)

Richard van der Riet Woolley

> [“Quite a feeling, isn't it? I though I'd lost it forever." "Space travel?" "Hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-perlman/quite-a-feeling-isn-t-it-i-though-i-d-lost-it-forever-space-travel/)

[Nicole Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-perlman/)

## More by Richard van der Riet Woolley

> [ The whole procedure \[of shooting rockets into space\] . . . presents difficulties of so fundamental a nature, that we are forced to dismiss… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-van-der-riet-woolley/the-whole-procedure-of-shooting-rockets-into-space-presents/)

Richard van der Riet Woolley

Explore all 2 Richard van der Riet Woolley quotes

## More Enough quotes

> [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/)

[Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/)

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/)

Adam Ant

> [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/)

[Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/)

> [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/)

Rena Kornreich Gelissen

> [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/)

[John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/)

> [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/)

[Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/)

> [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/)

[Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/)

> [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/)

[Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/)

> [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/)

[James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/)

> [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/)

[Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/)

> [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/)

[Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/)

> [New York is large, glamorous, easy-going, kindly and incurious, but above all it is a crucible - because it is large enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/new-york-is-large-glamorous-easy-going-kindly-and-incurious-but-above/)

[Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/)

Browse all 23,898 Enough quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Space travel is utter bilge. I don't think anybody will ever put up enough money to do such a thing. . . . It is all rather rot.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard van der Riet Woolley"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-van-der-riet-woolley/space-travel-is-utter-bilge-i-don-t-think-anybody-will-ever-put-up/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Enough"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-van-der-riet-woolley/space-travel-is-utter-bilge-i-don-t-think-anybody-will-ever-put-up/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/richard-van-der-riet-woolley-1_enough_space-travel-is-utter-bilge-i-don-t-thin_1442522.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/richard-van-der-riet-woolley-1_enough_space-travel-is-utter-bilge-i-don-t-thin_1442522.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/richard-van-der-riet-woolley-1_enough_space-travel-is-utter-bilge-i-don-t-thin_1442522.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Space travel is utter bilge. I don't think anybody will ever put up enough money to do such a thing…” — Richard van der Riet Woolley",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Richard van der Riet Woolley",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-van-der-riet-woolley/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Space travel is utter bilge. I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-van-der-riet-woolley/space-travel-is-utter-bilge-i-don-t-think-anybody-will-ever-put-up/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-van-der-riet-woolley/space-travel-is-utter-bilge-i-don-t-think-anybody-will-ever-put-up/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
